Carrying turkey decoys

[Rieckman]

I can strap 2 hen dakota decoys, and one jake quarter strut, to my kifaru reckoning, and put the ground blind in the main compartment. It's not quick set up or anything but carries well.

 

[JGross1]

I too was curious about this Q. I'm deciding between collapsible decoys vs the nicer ones like Avians or DSDs. The Avians & DSDs just seem so bulky. I run-n-gun & don't want to haul 1-3 full size decoys in a bag, plus if I harvest a Tom, seems like too much.

Anyone have suggestions on best collapsible decoys?

My ol' man has been using the same cheap, foam collapsible (I think redheads) decoys for as long as I can remember. Kills a longbeard every year. I may be in the minority but I have never understood paying hundreds of dollars for decoys watching those things work year after year. He folds them up and puts them inside of his coat while walking.

 

[j_volt]

My ol' man has been using the same cheap, foam collapsible (I think redheads) decoys for as long as I can remember. Kills a longbeard every year. I may be in the minority but I have never understood paying hundreds of dollars for decoys watching those things work year after year. He folds them up and puts them inside of his coat while walking.

Well... why do we wear Sitka when gramps used to kill elk wearing flannel?

New decoys are objectively better, but turkeys are generally pretty dumb, so there is more than one way to skin a cat.

 

[Swamppirate]

I still use some of the old Feather Flex decoys that roll up. Light and realistic enough.

 

[ElkArcher918]

Out West where I reside, I carry a superlight collapsible Feather Flex jake/hen decoy pair in the back pouch of my vest. I rarely put out the decoys unless things are super slow in which case I'll set them up around known strutting or feeding areas (and sometimes take a nap). Lot of country to cover so over the years I've scaled down the amount of gear I drag around. One thing I'll be doing new this year is carrying a rangefinder. Those longer shots can be a little deceiving when hunting wide open spaces. Hunting either Rios or Merriams.

 

[Jack321]

My ol' man has been using the same cheap, foam collapsible (I think redheads) decoys for as long as I can remember. Kills a longbeard every year. I may be in the minority but I have never understood paying hundreds of dollars for decoys watching those things work year after year. He folds them up and puts them inside of his coat while walking.

This is what I was hoping someone would say. Lol! I've got 3 of the old rubber decoys that are collapsible and I've killed turkeys over em for sure. But I usually hunt with my brother and dad. This year my father in law is coming and we have to split up, meaning I gotta grab a couple new decoys.

So honestly I was hoping someone would say something like this.

Over the years I've kinda become a "snob" hunter and trying to get the best of everything, camo to match and all that. And these new, pretty Avian or DSD decoys just are so enticing.

But them foam/rubber ones are usually just as good.

Maybe I'll grab a couple of cheap-y ones that I can fold and stuff in my back pouch.

 

[Backwoodsbandit]

If I am hunting alone I use a mesh duck decoy bag with backpack straps but if I’m with my brother I make him carry them.

 

[Jack321]

If I am hunting alone I use a mesh duck decoy bag with backpack straps but if I’m with my brother I make him carry them.

That's awesome. I'll ask my brother for the same thing!

I just picked up a combo set of Primos Photoform decoys. Strutting Tom, two Jake's and a hen.

I wanted as compact/light and as "real" as possible. I would have loved some Dave Smiths or Avians, but they're just too big, bulky and heavy.

 

[jmez]

I just quit using them because they are such a PITA.

Sent from my moto g power (2021) using Tapatalk

 

[Szwampdonkey]

I gave up on decoys years ago. Got tired of carrrying them and getting stalked by all the other guys out there. Life changing leaving them in the attic

 

[Yarak]

I rarely use dekes but there will be an occasional field bird that just will not budge or come into range then I'll break out the dekes and carry them in using a decoy bag with shoulder straps that fit over my vest
This bag makes it easy to haul these things in and out

 

[jjarrell]

What I use - it’s simple. cheap, relatively quiet:

http://www.hsstrut.com/product/turkey-decoy-bag/